Out of the Frying Pan
by chronicxxinsanity
Summary: When Josie escapes the hell that is the foster home she was being held at, she thought she would run away and start over somewhere safe. Anywhere else had to be safer. But when she finally breaks free and runs right into walkers, she realizes the whole new hell that she's gotten into. As they say, "out of the frying pan into the fire", and things don't seem to get better for Josie.
1. Introduction

**OUT OF THE FRYING PAN**

 **Introduction**

" _Run, Josie!"_

The wind blew past her ears but she could still hear his voice screaming over and over in her head. She had listened. Between the groans from those dead people outside and the banging on the door and Cecil screaming at her from behind his bars, Josie had listened and ran.

She had made it across the large field quickly with several of those dead groaners trying to keep up behind her. Their sounds made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end and her heart was pounding so loud she wasn't sure how close they were, but when she leaped over the fence and dodged into the trees they either couldn't keep up or went back to the barn.

Either way she kept running.

She wasn't sure how far she had actually gotten when her chest started to hurt and her legs started to burn. It could have been thirty minutes or several hours. Josie wanted nothing more than to keep running but her body wouldn't have it, and she was forced to slow to a jog. With how much she had to weave around the trees and bushes, it seemed like she wasn't nearly far enough away from that farm as she wanted to be.

Josie wasn't sure if there was anywhere in the world far enough away from that farm. And with those dead people walking around and tearing into things, how easy would it be to get far away? Military bases surely had to be secured enough to handle a few of these dead things, but Josie wouldn't even know where to begin looking for those. Maybe buses were still running, maybe airports had been protected...even if the farms were lost.

As soon as her thoughts wandered back to where she was running from, Josie stopped dead in her tracks.

She had listened to Cecil begging her from his cage to leave and to run and that he would be alright. But she knew he wouldn't be. He couldn't be.

She had only gotten a glimpse as she dodged out the back door but Josie knew there weren't just one or two of those monsters pounding that barn door trying to get in. And just like her, Cecil was in no shape to put up much of a fight.

Her heart felt like it dropped into her stomach and went cold when she remembered that through the screaming and the banging on the door and the groaning and gnashing of teeth, Cecil had been crying. That boy that had done everything he could to get Josie out had done it all with dry eyes until he started telling her to leave. To run.

Josie remembered not being able to leave right away. She had tried to open the bars that were keeping him locked in that barn and her hand throbbed at the memory of it. Her hand was bruised badly and aching – she had accidentally smashed a rock against her hand instead of the bar in her crazed attempt to get Cecil out so he could leave with her.

Josie felt like she was in a daze, moving her hand in front of her face and inspecting the bruised skin.

He had been so calm while he got her out, but she couldn't give him that back. Her heart had been pounding and she had tried so hard to stay calm. Maybe if she had she would have been able to break him out of his cage as well; maybe he would be beside her while she left. Her cheeks still felt wet to her fingertips.

A loud scream brought Josie's attention back to the fact that she was now a sitting duck just standing in the woods alone. The bushes to her left moved and a dead woman stepped out, her bare feet pushing branches and leaves with every wobbly step. The woman wasn't moving fast, but she was moving and her lifeless eyes were staring straight at Josie. Another inhuman screech tore through the woman's throat, making Josie jump again.

" _Run, Josie!"_

Cecil's voice was still clear in her mind and she took off again, tearing through the woods and dodging through trees, unable to keep track of how far she had come or which direction she should go. She just ran.

Occasionally a groan would push her in one direction or another. Sometimes it was just a sound from the bushes and Josie wasn't sure if it was a squirrel or a dead person so she just ran from all of the noise.

She keep pushing forward until it felt like she couldn't catch her breath. Josie stumbled out from behind a thick row of bushes and her shoes slid on the wet rocks on the other side. She went down fast, her feet and legs sliding into the running water and her back hitting the uneven ground hard.

The steady sound of water was the most soothing sound Josie had heard in a long time, but just as she let her head fall back against the rocks under her another sound reached her ears. Something slurped and her head jolted back up.

From across the small river a body with a mat of black hair sat hunched over a mound of bloody flesh. The slurping made her stomach flip and a loud crunch brought home just how close to this creature Josie was. She sat up slowly, cold water rushing past her legs. She tried to scoot back up onto the dry rocks slowly but her shoes keep pushing the rocks deeper into the water.

A louder crack sounded from across the stream and the head of matted hair shot up. The dead bloodshot eyes landed on Josie and she scrambled out of the water fast, splashing until her feet hit dry rocks. Groaning, the dead man stood up and stepped over the body on the ground, feet hitting the waters edge before the bushes behind it moved.

A large man – very much alive – stepped out of the bushes and jumped towards the water. By the time Josie made it to her feet the man had pulled out a knife and was on top of the dead person, blade through the head and a heavy boot kicking its back away. With a loud splash, the body fell into the water and Josie flinched when the drops hit her face.

Everything had happened so fast from the moment that cage door opened, it felt like time suddenly stopped. Josie fell back onto her butt and stared as the body slowly drifted down the stream until it was out of sight.

"Well well well," the man drawled, his voice slow and amused. He wiped the knife off on his pants, smearing dark blood. "Looks like I found us a Pocahontas."


	2. Chapter One

**OUT OF THE FRYING PAN**

 **Chapter One**

"Well shit."

Josie was a little surprised, to say the least. The man who had been standing across the river from her had been doing nothing but muttering, rubbing his head and seemed to be thinking something over...and when he finally said something loud enough for her to hear, that's what he said?

"You okay?" he asked, almost reluctantly.

Josie took a moment. Was she actually okay? Nothing was torn off and she was alive, but hunger and dehydration had left her feeling drained. She wasn't sure how much farther she could make it through the woods before she would have to stop and sleep – would she even be able to sleep?

"What, you don't talk?" the man asked, "I asked if you were okay."

"I-I don't know," Josie answered honestly, because anything else would be a flat out lie and she wasn't sure how easily this man would see through her. She sat up straighter, her hand throbbing as it was dragged against the rocks around her.

"You got a group out here? A camp?" She shook her head. "A place you're heading to?" Again, she shook her head. "You got any food?" He sighed when she didn't answer and rubbed the stubble on his chin and walked a small circle before facing Josie across the water again.

"Fuck it," he said, shrugging his broad shoulders. "I ain't in the business of letting women get munched out here alone. Get over here." He motioned for her to come to him.

Josie slowly got to her feet, looking the man over. Racist nickname aside, he had easily taken that dead man down fast. She wouldn't have even known what to do if she had the energy for a fight – stabbing it in the head was pretty far down on her list of 'how do you kill these things'. Her first was the avoid them altogether, but even way out in the woods that wasn't working out for her.

"You having trouble walking, Pocahontas? Come on. We got some people over that hill. You look like you could use some dinner. Come on," he said again, motioning for her to come across the river again.

Josie did, taking slow steps across the wet rocks. The water had only gone up to her waist but it was cold and the current by her feet was surprisingly strong. When she made it to the other side he reached out and she grabbed his dirty hand, letting him pull her out of the water and onto the blood-splattered dirt.

"Come on," he said again, turning quickly away from the mess of a dead body on the ground and walking to the bushes where he had jumped out of. "If you can walk fast we can get back before dark. We just need to check a couple of traps first."

Josie nodded when he glanced over his shoulder at her. Check some traps, a walk over a hill...and then dinner. The idea of actual food – maybe even warm food – made her mouth water and her stomach growl. The man must have heard it because he chuckled and paused, letting her catch up before taking off through the bushes again.

"Where'd you come from, Pocahontas?" he asked lightly, fingers brushing against a tree as he turned and checked what looked like an empty trap next to a large leafy tree.

"Lived on a farm," Josie answered vaguely.

"A farm?" he asked, one eyebrow raised and prodding for more information. "Where's this farm?"

"Off Barkley Way, few miles past that big dairy place." He nodded and seemed satisfied enough with that answer.

"Anyone else from the farm make it?" His questions were innocent enough, but Josie was reluctant to answer much.

"What?"

"Is anyone else alive?"

"Oh, I don't know," Josie answered slowly.

She thought about Cecil. If those doors and bars held, there was a chance he could still be there. Maybe something else could draw the attention of those dead people and they would leave the barn alone. He would be weak and about as dead tired and hungry and thirsty as Josie was, but alive was alive.

"So you took off, huh?" he asked, almost sounding amused before making a disgusting throat clearing noise and spitting into the bushes. "Smart. They're probably all dead. Hey! Lookie here!" he yelled out suddenly, laughing as he tugged a rope out of some bushes. A squeal erupted from the bushes when he dragged a squirrel out by it's front paws, flailing and wiggling until he reached down and silenced it with a motion.

Josie cringed and turned away, the sound sending a chill down her spine.

"Got us some squirrel stew for lunch tomorrow!" he said, thrilled as he tied the rope around the squirrel and tossed it over his shoulder, letting the limp animal hit his back with every step as he walked away. "Come on, one more trap and we can head back."

The last trap had been empty too, and Josie heard him swear under his breath before straightening up and turning back to her.

"Well, one squirrel's better than none. We're about ten minutes away from camp." He tilted his head to the side and Josie followed him up a steep incline. He had slowed his pace when she started falling behind.

"Thank you," Josie said quietly but the man shrugged it off without a reply. "What's your name?"

"Merle," he said, his rough voice followed by a particularly loud slap of the squirrel on his back. She waited for him to ask her name in return but he remained silent and kept walking up the incline.

Finally, after another ten minutes of walking and stumbling over bushes, Merle paused and turned back to her.

"It might be better if I go into camp first and explain," he said slowly.

Josie nodded and stayed put while Merle climbed over the last of the incline and let out a loud laugh, pulling the dead squirrel off of his shoulder and swinging it around in front of him. She could hear some voices but most were drowned out by Merle flaunting his squirrel in front of them as he disappeared from Josie's view.

Their voices were somewhat hushed and someone mentioned something about fish before the voices died down and all that was left was Merle's.

"I found something else too," he said, not as loud as before. "A girl, found her by the river a few miles back."

The other voices picked up until a deep one shushed them.

"Where is she?"

"Come on out, Pocahontas!" Merle yelled and Josie took that as her cue. Her calves were burning but she pushed herself up the last of the incline and stepped out into a clearing right behind Merle.

He moved to the side and threw a hand up as if to introduce her. The few people in the group huddled around the fire seemed to shoot Merle a meaningful stare but no one said anything for a moment. Josie felt her face warm up with eyes on her.

A man with a gun on his hip and a knife on the other side stood up and stepped across the warm fire.

"What's your name? I know it ain't Pocahontas," he said, tilting his head towards Merle who simply chuckled.

"Josie."

"Hi, Josie," he said, stepping closer until his body blocked hers from the light of the fire. "I'm Shane. Can we, uh, talk over here for a moment?"

He ticked his head to the side and Josie nodded, following him away from the campfire. He lead her over to a large RV, but the voices from the campfire still reached them – Merle and a woman were having some heated argument over squirrels.

"I just need to ask you some questions," Shane said, eyes scanning the area around the RV before turning back to her.

"Sure," Josie said, crossing her arms over her chest. Without the warmth from that fire she felt colder than she had before.

The questions came fast.

"Where you from?"

"A farm off of Barkley Way, just past the big dairy place."

"Any other survivors over there?"

"I don't know."

Shane paused for a moment, as if he was deciding whether to push that or not before he continued on.

"How long were you walking before Merle found you?"

"I don't know, maybe...a few hours at least," Josie answered. "I wasn't keeping track, I was just running."

"Running from what?"

"Those dead people – those groaners," she said, motioning back the way they had come. Their noises sent a shiver down her spine and watching what they were capable of made her want to vomit – if she had anything in her stomach that could come up, that is.

"We call 'em Walkers," Shane said and Josie nodded. That sounded slightly better. "Were there a lot in the woods out here?"

"A few. Merle killed one that was coming at me."

"You kill one before?"

"No."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know."

"Seems to be a lot you don't know," Shane said, eyes narrowing.

"I just wanted to get away from them. I thought maybe I could come across a road or maybe there is a military base around that would take people in."

Shane nodded and seemed satisfied enough with that answer.

"Are you looking to stay with a group or keep moving?"

Josie paused at that question, thinking it over before answering. "I want to stay with a group. I...don't really know what to do out here."

Shane nodded again and cross his arms over his chest. "Well, I don't see why you can't stay here for a while at least. I can't speak for everyone, but if you find a way to pull your weight most'll be fine with you staying with us."

Josie smiled and followed Shane back over to the fire.

She had dreams about getting away from the farm and most ended with her going to the police or maybe the government to make sure that no other kids would be taken there. She imagined going to court, making statements, having to tell a ton of cops and lawyers about everything that happened and while that definitely didn't sound appealing, she would have done it happily. But now Josie was free...and no one was asking any questions.

"We don't have much, but here," a blonde woman stood up as Shane and Josie approached the fire. She handed Josie an opened can of baked beans and a spoon, which Josie accepted with thanks and took the seat besides the woman.

The fire was warm on her face and her wet legs, and the cold can felt nice against her sore hand. Josie dug in, answering the small questions that came from the people around the campfire.

A woman who introduced herself as Andrea, sitting next to the one who had offered Josie the beans was the first to jump in.

"What's your name?"

"Josie."

"How old are you, Josie?" Her voice was kind enough – different from when Shane had interrogated her.

"Twenty-four."

"You from around here?"

"Uh-huh, farm a ways back."

A thin woman with long dark hair interrupted before Andrea could ask more questions.

"Did...did you see anyone else in the woods?"

"You mean, those Walkers?" Josie asked after swallowing a large mouthful of beans, deciding to ditch the term groaners.

"No, anyone still alive?"

Josie shook her head and the womans hopeful expression fell. "Sorry."

When the spoon hit the bottom of the can of cold beans Josie wanted to groan. It may have been cold and bland but she was thankful to have something in her stomach. She set the can down by her feet and passed the spoon back to the blonde woman before rubbing her legs.

Her shins were warming up now but her legs were still extremely sore from the sudden running and dodging – her body was not used to that kind of exercise so suddenly.

"Are you tired?" Andrea asked, and Josie realized the woman had been staring at her while she was distracted by the fire.

Josie nodded and Andrea motioned for her to follow. Josie slowly stood up and followed, nodding to the other people around the fire as she left.

"If you don't mind sharing a tent, me and my sister Amy have a three-person one. We only have one extra blanket but-"

"That would be amazing, thank you," Josie said with a smile, feeling like she had to fight to keep her eyes open even now that the warmth from the fire had left her.

Andrea smiled and nodded.

"You can climb on in, me and Amy will be there in a few. The red blanket folded up at the top is yours." Josie thanked Andrea again as she left and turned back to the tent. There were several places where the tent looked warn and tattered, but a large tarp had been tied between some small trees to protect it from the rain.

Josie climbed in and grabbed the red blanket, shaking it out before settling into the empty space beside the two sleeping bags. Without a pillow, Josie rolled onto her side and used her arm, keeping her back to the side of the tent and readjusting her wet pants until she was more comfortable.

But sleep didn't come very easily despite her exhaustion.


End file.
